Vending machine



VENDING MACHINE Original Filed Dec.

23, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 17, 1931. A. D. ANTOINE ET AL VENDING MACHINE Original Filed Dec. 23. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 of this invention.

Patented Nov. 17, 1931 warren STAT-ES;

ALFRED D. ANTOINE, OF CHICAGO, nn Annalee EL Giannini, orw ILivIE'fm -E, ILLINoIs;

ASSIGNORS To ADVANCE MACHINE COMPANY, onoHIoAeo, ILLINOIS, A COR- PORA'IION OF ILLINOIS- Original application filed December 23, 1929,:Seria1 m5.- 415,92"0.'- Divided and this application filed .Tuiie "11, 1930. 'SeIiaINo. moan,

This application'is a division of original application Serial Number 415,920, filed December 23, 1929. p 1 V This invention relates to improvements 1n vending machines of thetype embodying a chain or endless conveyor for the articles or merchandise adapted to be intermittently actuated upon the insertion of a proper coin or check into the machine, and operating to successively discharge or deliver the articles or mechandise therefrom when the article reaches a predetermined station; p

A further object is to provide improved means responsive in its operation to the end less carrier whereby at a predetermined time in the cycle of operation of the mechanism, additional means will be rendered active to prevent the discharge of the;coin

from the coin carrier and cause thecoin to be returned tothe operator. I A further object is to provide in a machine of this character an endless carrier for the merchandise, having'a constant direction of movement by the operator after "a coin has been deposited therein, and improved means for adapting the carrier for reverse'move ment for facilitating in fillingor loading the carrier, V i

To the attainment'of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful ob-v jects as will appear, the invention consists in the features of noveltyzin substantially the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts hereinafter more fully described and claimedyand shown in the accompanying drawings illustrating this invention, and in which Figure l is a vertical, longitudinal see} tional view, with parts'omitted and parts broken away, of a machine of this character,

constructed in accordancewith the principles Figure2is a view taken line 2-2, Figure 1, V

other inany desired or suitable manner.

1 Figure .3 is an irregular sectional View taken on line 33, Figure 1; I 1 W ,7

Figure 4' is an enlargedvd'etail view, partly in elevation, partly in section and partly broken away, of'the mechanism forpreventing the delivery of the-coin into the machine from the coin carrier. I v 7 Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5, Figure 1. I p

Figure 6 is a detail view, partly in elevation, partly brokenaway and with parts omitted, showing the trip mechanism for controlling the parts shown in Figure 4.

Referring more particularly tothe drawings the-numeral l5v designates" generally a casing in which the mechanism is arranged and which casing is providedin its front I wall preferablywith windows or openings;

'16, through which the'goods may be viewed. A suitable coin controlled mechanism having] an operating handle 18 isprovided by means of which the carrier'may be set into operation by the insertion ofa proper coin' i or check and 79 designates a delivery or discharge opening through which the articles are dispensed. P a Q Y' Arranged within the casing 15 and spaced above each other are two supports- 20-21 and these supports are secured to the casing Wall in, any'suitable manner preferably through the medium of a supporting plate 22 which rests against gtherear face of one of the walls. of the casing and which plate in i turn is secured in position by means of suit-. able fastening means. A frame comprised of spaced members each of which comprises overlapping sections 24-25 is provided for supporting thecarrier and (these overlapping sections may be secured together for adjustment one with relation-to the other by means of fastening devices 26, slots 27-28 being provided through the members, and through.

whi'ch' slot-s the supports 20 21- pass, the

frame members being held spaced from each,

tiveco-operating sprockets 31-32, and carried by the links 33 are holders 3% preferably in the form of pockets for receiving and con pockets on holders 34 ferm, the connection between the endless members 33 and the links are provided with projections 35 which enter the spacesbetween the teeth of the'sprockets.

The frame together withthecarrienineluding theendless flexible members thus c011- structed are adapted to be'placed into and removed from the casing 15 as annit and t0 that'lend the slots27-28 are provided which permit the supports 21 to respectively pass therethrough', the unitbeing held in position by means of nuts or collars 36 screwed on to the ends of the supports 20-21. The slots 2728 permit of a bodily adjustment of the unit in the casing 15 and the adjustability of the sections -2 125 with respect to each other serve as a means whereby the endless fiexible elements 33 may be adjusted or tightened.

Mounted .in a suitable compartment in the casing 15 1s a coin controlled mechanism designated generally by the reference numeral 37 and which coin controlled mechanism may be of any desired or suitable construction, but preferably of the construction disclosed in our co-pending application Serial No. 490,- 36,flled October 22,1930. Sufiice it to say that the coin controlled mechanism embodies a coin carrier 38 having a coin pocket or seat- 39 thereimand'while the coin or check carrier is adapted for a'forward and backward movement, the shaft will have an operative movement onlyin one direction. The carrier 38 is connected with the handle 18 so as to advance thecoi n whenthe latter is deposited intothe seat39 through the opening 40. The coin mechanism also embodies a recessed element ll which is preferably angular in cross sectionand into which recess (see particularly Figure 1) a reduced extremity 42 of the shaft 30 is adapted to enter so that the shaft 30 will be given one step of rotation upon each movement in one direction that is imparted to the handle 18 upon the insertion of a proper coin and thereby successively advance the pockets or holders 34 to a position adjacent a chute 43 that delivers the article into the discharge chute or outlet 79.

When the conveyor is provided with a package or an article in the hO1dJ3TS34: and a proper coin is deposited in the coin seat '39 of the carrier 38, one step of rotation will be given to the shaft 30 and the coin will be deposited into the machine and will fall out of the pocket or seat 39 when the latter is inverted. This delivery of the coin into the machine from the coin carrier 38 is well known in this art and forms no part of the present inv ntion. I In order to prevent the deposit of the coin from the seat 39 into the machine and to cause the same to be returned to the operator veying the articles or merchandise. These mined times in the cycle of operation'of the mechanism.

The shaft 44c is also provided with an arm 49, the weight of the arm 49 being adapted to withdraw the deflected extremity 47 from beneath the coin and permit the latter to drop intothe machine, under normal conditions.

When, however, the endless carrier assumes a predetermined position, the extremity 47 of the shaft l4: is adapted to be positioned as shown in Figure 4. To that end there is provided a rock shaft 50 journaled in suitable bearings 51 and having a deflected portion '52 projecting beneath the arm 4:9 as shown more clearly in Figures 1 and 4. The shaft 50 is also providedwith an arm 53, the endthereof being arran ed to stand'within the path ofmovement ofa lug'or projection 54L carried by one of the links 33 so that when the projection or lug 54E moves from the position shown in Figure 2 to the position shown in Figure 5, it will engage the portion 53 of the shaft 50 to rock the latter and cause it in turn to rock the shaft All to move the extremity 47 of thearm l6 of the shaft 44: to the position shown in Figure 4, thereby preventing the com 48 from dropping out of the seat 39, with the result that upon the reverse movement of the handle 18 the coin 48 will be re- When, however, the machine is to be refilled, it is desired that the endless carrier 33 may be moved in the opposite direction so as to properly position the lug 54 and at the same time position the pockets 34 to be filled by the attendant. To that end means are provided whereby the endless carrier with its pockets or holders may be released with respect to the coin controlled mechanism and rotatedin the opposite direction.

A simple and efficient means for accomplishing this result will now be described.

One of the sprocket wheels 32 is provided with a clutch face 55 see particularly Figure 3) and mounted upon the shaft 30 is a clutch member 57 secured to rotate therewith but for sliding movement thereupon by means of a key or feather connection 56. The clutch member 57 is provided with a face 58 which cooperates with the clutch face 55.

A spring 59 encompasses the shaft 30. and bears at one end against the clutch member 57 and .at the other end against a collar 60, and the spring 59 tends normally to move the clutch member 57 in a direction to engage and co-operate with the clutch face 55 on the sprocket 32. Thus the sprocket 32 will be locked to the shaft 30 for rotation therewith.

In order to releasethe clutch to permit the endless carrier to be moved in the opposite direction a member 61 is provided which has a yoke engaging in a groove 62 in the clutch member 57. This member 62 preferably slides upon a support or guide 63 which latter in turn is preferably supported by the members 25 of the frame, and an operating handle 64 is connected by means of a stem 65 with the member 61. The handle 64 is located in a convenient position for the operator preferably adjacent the outer face of one of the members 25 of the frame and between the runs of one of the endless carrier members 33. WVhen the clutch member 57 is withdrawn so as to disengage the clutch face 55 on the sprocket 33, and against the stress of the spring 59, it will be manifest that the endless carrier may be moved in either direction at the will of the operator, so long as the clutch member 57 is thus held. W'hen, however, the clutch member is released the spring 59 will move it into co-operative relation with the clutch 55 of the sprocket 32 and the endless carrier will then be locked for rotation with the shaft 30..

A shield 66 is provided so as to form aclosure for the open edges of the pockets or carrier 37 when the pockets orcarriers are inverted and the shield is provided with an opening 67 therethrough which communicates with the chute 43 so that when the open side of one of the pockets is in alinement with the opening 67 in the shield 66 the contents of the pocket will fall by gravity therefrom through the opening 67 and into the chute 43.

While the preferred form of the inventionhas been herein shown and described, itis' to.

be understood that. various changes may be made in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, within the scopeof the claims, without departing from the spirit of this invention. v p L p WVhat isclaimed as new is 1. A vending machine embodying'an endless conveyor, article holders on the conveyor, check controlled mechanism for intermitr' tently actuating the conveyorfto successively'move-the article holders to a delivery station, andmeans responsive to the operation of the conveyor for maintaining a check against delivery from the check controlled mechanism. V

2.- A vending machine embodying an endless conveyor, article holders on the conveyor, check controlled mechanism for intermittently actuating the conveyor to successively move the article holders to a delivery station, check controlled mechanism embodying a check carrier having a check seat, and means responsive to the operation ofthe carrier and movable into a position to retain the check in said check seat.

3. A vending machine embodying an endless carrier, article holders thereon, check controlled mechanism for actuating the same, said mechanism embodying a check carrier having a check seat adapted to be inverted to deliver the check therefrom, a member adapted to be positioned adjacent the path of movement of thecheck in the check seat to maintain the check in said seat, and means on the conveyor for thus positioning said member. 1' i p 4:. A vending machine embodying an endless carrier for the articles, checkcontrolled mechanism embodying a check carrier having a check seat therein, a member adapted tobe positioned adjacent the path of movementof the check on the carrierto maintain the check in said seat, an arm connected with said member, and means on the carrier adapted to engage and move said arm to thus position said member.

5. A vending machine embodying an endless carrier, article holders thereon, check controlled mechanism for actuating the same,

said mechanism embodying a check carrier having a checkseat adapted to'be inverted an arm on said shaft for shifting said member, and means connected with said carrier 1 for rocking said shaft. 7 6. A vending machine embodying an endless carrier, article holders thereon, check controlled mechanism for actuating the same,

said mechanism embodying a check carrier 13b having a check seat adapted to be inverted to deliver thecheck therefrom, a member adapted to be positioned adj aoent the path of movement of the check in the cheek seatto maintain the check in the seat, a, rooksha-ft, an

arm: on said shaft for shifting said'member, aprojection on the carrier, and a second arm on the rook shaft arranged in the path of movement ofsaid projection to be engaged and shifted thereby V In testimony whereof We have signed our names to this specification, on this 7th day of June, A. D. 1930. Y

' ALFRED D. ANTOINE.

ALBERT E. GEBERT. 

